Gozitan choir Schola Cantorum Jubilate was recently awarded a silver placing during the fifth edition of the Malta International Choirs’ Festival. Some 32 choirs from different countries took part in the festival.
This year’s festival included 14 competitive categories: Sacred Music for Mixed Choirs; for Female Choirs; for Male Choirs; Children’s Choirs; Youth Choirs for equal and mixed voices; Folklore and Popular Choral Music.
The Schola Cantorum Jubilate competed against another five choirs – Kamarikuoro Gaudete from Finland, Lu Fmf Jauktais Koris Aura from Latvia, Alversund Kammerkor from Norway, Riddarholmens Kammarkor from Sweden and Mitte-Riinimanda from Estonia – in the category of Sacred Music for Mixed Choirs.
The choir performed the following pieces (three of which a capella) under the direction of Marouska Attard: Palestrina’s Lauda Sion, Portelli’s Jesu Dulcis Memoria, Bartolucci’s O Sacrum Convivium and Rutter’s The Lord Bless you and keep you. For the latter, the choir was accompanied by Joseph Camilleri on the organ.
The Category winner and also the Grand Prize winner of the festival was the Swiss choir Riddarholmens Kammarkor, which gave a unique interpretation of Lotti’s Crucifixus for Eight Voices, among other pieces by Gjeilo, Sisask and Hogan.
www.scjchoir.com